Department for Transport

Road Traffic Offences: Disqualification

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Vere of Norbiton on 21 June (HL860), how many times the Secretary of State for Transport as opposed to the courts was asked to decidewhether a driver should be disqualified from driving in the last 10 years; and in how many of those cases the drivers were disqualified from driving as a result.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Secretary of State for Transport is not involved in making decisions on driving disqualifications. Only a court can order that an individual is disqualified from driving.

Motor Vehicles: Registration

Lord Blunkett: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to grant relief from the rules requiring vehicles registered overseas to be registered and taxed in the UK after a maximum period of six months for Ukrainian refugees arriving in the UK in private vehicles; and, if they do not have such plans, whether they will extend the six month period for vehicle registration and taxation until the first to occur of (1) an application by Ukrainian refugees for permanent residence in the UK, or (2) three years after their arrival in the UK.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government is determined to ensure that Ukrainian arrivals encounter a warm reception in the UK, and the Department for Transport is presently engaging with DVLA colleagues to explore policy options, including possible options surrounding the vehicle registration fees for Ukrainian plated vehicles entering the UK. My Department has also worked with the transport sector to provide wider assistance to those fleeing here from the conflict. Since mid-March 2022, all Ukrainians that enter the UK with the appropriate visa can travel on public transport from their port of entry to their end destination at no cost if travel occurs within 48 hours of arrival. This includes rail, bus and all Transport for London routes. To date, over 2,200 rail journeys have been made via the free onward travel offer, and many more on UK bus, coach and tram services. On the 20 June, this scheme was extended for a further six months.

Railways: Automation

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to fully automate train lines; and what discussions they have had with (1) local mayors, and (2) transport authorities, about automating tube and metro services.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: There are currently no plans to fully automate train lines. The Department for Transport is leading a joint programme with Transport for London to provide evidence-based recommendations on how best to progress with driverless trains on the London Underground.

High Speed 2 Line: Euston to Glasgow

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the current planned maximum speed of HS2 trains on the HS2 tracks (1) in the open, and (2) in tunnels; and what is the expected journey time from London Euston to Glasgow Central of HS2 trains, without using the Golborne Link.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The HS2 Rolling Stock will have a maximum speed of 360km/h but will run slower on certain parts of the infrastructure, including some tunnels, due to specific geographic constraints. In the current planning assumptions, used to inform the business case for HS2, the journey time from London to Glasgow will be 3 hours 48 minutes once Phase 2a is operational.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

British Business Bank

Baroness Kramer: To ask Her Majesty's Government what ministerial directions they have given to theBritish Business Bank; and what were the contents of those directions.

Lord Callanan: A Ministerial Direction is a formal instruction by a Minister to the Chief Accounting Office of their department to proceed with a spending proposal. These are available on the GOV.UK website. In the case of the British Business Bank plc, a Written Direction is a formal instruction issued by or on behalf of the British Business Bank’s Shareholder, the Secretary of State for BEIS, to proceed with a requested course of action after the Board has raised its concerns through a Reservation Notice. With respect to the Government’s Covid-19 Loan Schemes, all these notices are publicly available to view on the Bank’s website and GOV.UK.

Construction Contracts (England) Exclusion Order 2022

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish (1) the list of consultees for the draft Construction Contracts (England) Exclusion Order 2022, and (2) the list of projects excluded by this draft Order and their respective cost estimates.

Lord Callanan: A consultation took place with relevant construction industry and water sector stakeholders. Those consulted included construction trade and legal associations, individual contractor companies, consultancies, water utility companies and other government departments. A number of individual responses were also received. Consultees included: Addleshaw Goddard LLPAshurst LLPBalfour BeattyBAM ConstructionBuild UKCivil Engineering Contractors AssociationCMS LLPConstruction Law SocietyConstruction Leadership Council Business Models Contractual Working GroupCostainCrown Commercial ServicesDeloitteDiamond TransmissionEYInfrastructure Projects AuthorityKMPGNational Grid ESOSevern Trent WaterSouthern WaterTransmission Investment / Amber InfrastructureUnited UtilitiesWater UK Roundtable – Yorkshire Water, South West Water, Welsh Water, United Utilities. In addition, engagement was undertaken with each Devolved Administration. No projects are either included or excluded by the design of this measure, but to benefit from the Exclusion Order they would need to be consistent with the provisions of the statutory instrument. Projects designated for delivery by way of Direct Procurement for Customers (DPC) need to satisfy various selection criteria including, that the estimated whole-life totex (i.e. capital expenditure plus operations and maintenance costs) of the project is likely to exceed a threshold (currently set at £100m), and that delivering the project via DPC has the potential to offer best value for money for customers compared to delivery by the relevant water undertaker.

Wind Power: Seas and Oceans

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they aretaking to meet their target of women making up at least one third of the offshore wind workforce by 2030.

Lord Callanan: Through the Offshore Wind Sector Deal, the Government secured a commitment from developers and supply chain companies to work together to increase the number of women working in offshore wind to 33% by 2030, aiming for a higher 40% if feasible. This is starting from a 2018 baseline of 16%. This work is being taken forward by the Offshore Wind Industry Council.

Wind Power: Seas and Oceans

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what stepsthey are taking to encourage Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) people to enter the offshore wind industry.

Lord Callanan: Through the Offshore Wind Sector Deal, the Government secured a commitment from developers and supply chain companies to work together to increase the number of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people working in offshore wind to 9% by 2030, aiming for a higher 12% if feasible. This is starting from a 2020 baseline of 5%. This work is being taken forward by the Offshore Wind Industry Council.

Boilers: Hydrogen

Lord Naseby: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the possible use of hydrogen alongside existing gas boilers; and whether the use of hydrogen could remove the need for gas boilers entirely.

Lord Callanan: The Government is monitoring progress on trials that use blends of hydrogen in existing gas boilers to inform decisions in 2023 on whether to enable blending up to 20% hydrogen by volume into Great Britain gas networks. The Government is also supporting research, development and testing projects that will generate evidence on the costs, feasibility and impacts of using boilers that run entirely on hydrogen.

Department of Health and Social Care

Nurses: Vacancies

Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Royal College of NursingNursing Under UnsustainablePressures: Staffing for Safe and Effective Care in the UK, published on 6 June; and what steps they intend to take in response to the findings in that report that (1) 83 per cent of respondents reported there were not enough nursing staff on their last shift to meet all patient needs safely and effectively, and (2) only 25 per cent of shifts had the planned number of registered nurses.

Lord Kamall: The Government welcomes the publication of the Royal College of Nursing’s report and shares its aim of a well-supported nursing workforce. Under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, the Care Quality Commission ensures that providers comply with Regulation 18 on suitably qualified, skilled and experienced staff, who receive effective support, supervision and development and effectively deliver safe care which meets patients’ individual needs.The Government has also committed to deliver 50,000 more nurses and ensure the National Health Service can access a sustainable long-term workforce supply. We are currently on schedule to meet this commitment, with 30,000 additional nurses in March 2022 compared to September 2019.

Social Services

Lord Stevens of Birmingham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, and if so how, they measure changes over time in the supply of domiciliary social care relative to local need in each upper tier local authority in England.

Lord Kamall: The Department does not measure the supply of domiciliary care relative to local need in local authorities in England. The Care Act 2014 recognises that local authorities are best placed to understand and plan for the care and support needs of the local population. Local authorities have a duty to shape care markets to ensure that a diverse range of high quality, sustainable, person-centred care and support services is provided. The Department monitors the number of domiciliary care agencies at national, regional and local authority level using monthly data collected by the Care Quality Commission.

Hartismere Hospital

Lord Framlingham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the current diagnostic capacity in the NHS; and, further to any such assessment, what immediate consideration they have given to designating the Hartismere Hospital in Suffolk as a diagnostic hub to serve thesurrounding rural area.

Lord Kamall: The Spending Review 2020 provided £325 million, with a further £2.3 billion in the 2021 Spending Review, for diagnostic services, including the launch of up to 160 community diagnostic centres (CDCs) by March 2025. There are currently 90 CDCs in operation, including supporting sites, which have delivered one million tests and scans since July 2021. CDCs are projected to deliver 17 million tests in the next three years, with an annual capacity for approximately nine million tests by 2025. The National Health Service collects data on 15 diagnostic tests, which shows that 1,850,900 diagnostic tests were delivered in April 2022. This is an increase of 3,400 from April 2021.The East of England region, including Suffolk, is currently working with integrated care systems, diagnostic networks and primary care services to determine the location and configuration of services for future CDCs, based on the needs of the local population.

Gambling: Rehabilitation

Lord Foster of Bath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made ofincluding support related to (1) gambling related harms, and (2) gambling addiction, in Liaison and Diversion schemes to divert individuals from the criminal justice system.

Lord Kamall: While no formal assessment has been made, NHS England and NHS Improvement have held national workshops for all liaison and diversion service providers on the vulnerabilities caused by gambling addiction.

Smoking: Children

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government how the consumption by individuals under the age of 18 differs between smokers of tobacco and users of e-cigarettes or vapes.

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what concerns they have, if any, regarding the marketing of e-cigarettes and vapes to under-18s.

Lord Kamall: The Government collects statistics on smoking and vaping for 11 to 15 year olds through the Smoking, Drinking and Drug Use Among Young People survey. Due to the pandemic, the latest data available is from 2018, which shows regular use of vapes for 11 to 15 year olds at 3% and regular use of smoking cigarettes at 2%. Fieldwork for the latest survey is complete and due to published later this year. The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities collects data on vaping among 11 to 18 year olds, which will be published in its 2022 Vaping in England report shortly. The regulatory framework for vaping aims to maximise the opportunities for adult smokers to convert from cigarettes while preventing non-smokers and young people from starting to smoke. The independent review into tobacco control measures led by Dr Javed Khan supports this approach. However, further measures have been recommended to discourage uptake among young people. We are considering the review’s recommendations and continue to monitor the evidence on use among young people and vaping regulations are kept under review.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus: Drugs and Vaccination

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take tointroduce (1) antiviral drugs, and (2) a vaccine, to address Respiratory Syncytial Virus.

Lord Kamall: The monoclonal antibody palivizumab is currently offered by the National Health Service each winter to high-risk children for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) prevention, in line with guidance from the Joint Community on Vaccines and Immunisation (JCVI).In addition, there are several RSV vaccines and monoclonal immunisations in phase three trials, from maternity and infancy to older adults. There are also antiviral treatments for RSV in clinical development, including an antiviral treatment by Enanta Pharmaceuticals. Manufacturers are encouraged to provide information to the UK Health Security Agency and the JCVI as it becomes available, which are monitoring development of these trials. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is responsible for the approval of new vaccines and treatments.

Evusheld

Lord Tyrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the efficacy of Evusheld on the protection of patients with metastatic cancer from COVID-19.

Lord Kamall: The Department is currently assessing Evusheld, which includes requesting clinicians to advise on the most appropriate option for the National Health Service with the available data, the public health situation and other treatments available. We expect to receive clinical advice shortly.The Therapeutics Clinical Review Panel provides advice on the most appropriate patient cohorts for new COVID-19 therapies, including preventative treatments. However, we are currently unable to confirm the efficacy of Evusheld for specific patient groups. Final clinical policies and eligibility would be proposed by the NHS and agreed by the United Kingdom Chief Medical Officers.

Mental Health Services: Children

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the average waiting time in England for a first appointment with NHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.

Lord Kamall: The information requested is not collected centrally in the format requested.

Mental Health Services: Children

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children in England are currently on the waiting list for an NHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service appointment.

Lord Kamall: This information is not held in the format requested as there is no current waiting time standard for this service.NHS England and NHS Improvement consulted on the potential to introduce five new access and waiting time standards for mental health services. This included a standard for children, young people and their families or carers presenting to community-based mental health services to receive care within four weeks from referral. We are now working with NHS England and NHS Improvement on the outcome of the consultation.

Health and Care Act 2022

Lord Balfe: To ask Her Majesty's Government when section 177 of the Health and Care Act 2022 came, or will come, into force.

Lord Kamall: Section 117 of the Health and Care Act 2022 will come into force on 1 October 2022.

Ministry of Justice

Juries: Car Allowances

The Earl of Caithness: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the price per litre of petrol when the Ministry of Justice set the car travel allowance for jurors at 45 pence per mile; and what plans they have to increase that allowance.

Lord Bellamy: The car travel allowance for jurors is 31.4 pence per mile, with additional allowances available if the car contains other jurors as passengers. It was set at 31.4 pence per mile by the Ministry of Justice when the price of fuel was 121 pence per litre.There is an additional rate for jurors of 4.2 pence per mile if one other juror is a passenger, with further juror passengers having a rate of 3.2 pence. With 4 juror passengers (additional to the driver), 45.2 pence per mile could be claimed.The government values jury service as an important civic duty, that should be representative of society. In addition to the car travel allowance, there are other expenses that can be claimed. Information on what can be claimed is available on the gov.uk website and this information is also provided to jurors when they are summoned.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Development Aid

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of how funding for the Global Fund’s seventh replenishment will advance the priorities of their international development strategy.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The new International Development Strategy (IDS) highlights that global health will remain a top priority. We will continue to deliver our health commitments on COVID-19; building strong health systems; promoting a One Health approach; and working towards ending preventable deaths of mothers, babies and children, including through Gavi and the Global Fund. Our support to the Global Fund to address the HIV burden in adolescent girls and young women, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, also contributes to the IDS priority on empowering women and girls. The UK pledged £1.4 billion to the Global Fund's 6th replenishment (2020-2022), making us the 2nd largest donor. We are reviewing the Global Fund's investment case for the 7th replenishment and deciding our precise contribution in line with delivering the new International Development Strategy. The Global Fund will continue to be a key partner for the UK in the shared fight against HIV, TB and malaria.

Development Aid

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent discussions they have had with the government of the United States, as host of the Global Fund’s seventh replenishment, about the UK’s contribution to that fund; and whether they intend to match the United States by increasing UK funding by one third to reach the replenishment target of $18 billion.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Foreign Secretary and US Secretary of State recently discussed the upcoming 7th replenishment of the Global Fund. The UK has been a committed supporter of the Global Fund, investing over £4.1 billion in the organisation to date. We are the second largest donor to the 6th replenishment, with a pledge of up to £1.4 billion. The UK will continue to make a significant financial and leadership contribution to the Global Fund. We are currently reviewing the Global Fund's 7th replenishment investment case in line with our recently published International Development Strategy and will continue to work with all G7 and G20 members, including the US, to support progress in the fight against HIV, TB and Malaria.

Amoon and Qaisar Ayub

Lord Harries of Pentregarth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of Pakistan regarding the death sentences given to Qaiser and Amoon Ayub.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We oppose the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle, and have made that clear to the Government of Pakistan. We are deeply concerned at the misuse of blasphemy laws in Pakistan. We continue to press for speedy and fair trials for those accused of blasphemy, including cases such as Qaiser and Amoon Ayub, and urge the authorities to ensure the safety of those charged and those later released.

Nigeria: Death and Missing Persons

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to discuss with the government of Nigeria the deaths and disappearances which followed an attack on four villages in the Kaduna state of Nigeria on 5 June.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are aware of the attacks in Kaduna state on 5 June. Increasing insecurity across Nigeria is having a devastating impact on affected communities. The UK Government condemns kidnappings across Nigeria, and calls for the release of those still held captive. We are in regular contact with the Kaduna State Government on instances of conflict and insecurity in the State, and continue to support dialogue and mediation activities in Kaduna, in partnership with the State Government. We also continue to urge and support the Nigerian Government to take action to implement long-term solutions that address the root causes of violence, and we committed to work together to respond to rising insecurity in Nigeria at our Security and Defence Dialogue in February.

Nigeria: Politics and Government

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to discuss with the government of Nigeria the increased targeting of clergy and church workers following a series of abductions in June.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Rising insecurity in Nigeria, including reports that clergy and church workers have been abducted, is concerning. The UK Government is working with Nigeria to respond. At the first dialogue of our Security and Defence partnership in February, we agreed to work together to respond to security challenges including kidnaps. We are providing mentoring and capacity-building support to Nigerian Police Force units to improve their anti-kidnap capacity, to help reduce harm to victims, and to hold those responsible to account, in support of our shared objective of reducing kidnaps. The Minister for Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and our High Commissioner in Abuja, regularly raise insecurity in Nigeria in their meetings with the Nigerian authorities, and will continue to do so in future discussions.Clergy and church workers deserve to work in safety, and all religious communities should be able to practice their faith without fear. The UK Government will continue to encourage the Nigerian Government to take urgent action to implement long-term solutions that address the root causes of violence, whilst also ensuring Freedom of Religion or Belief for all.

Israel: Palestinians

Baroness Sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 4 June (HL421), what representations they will make to the government of Israel to deter the expulsion of Palestinians from the Masafer Yatta area of the West Bank.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are monitoring developments at Masafer Yatta closely given the increased risk of the forced transfer of over 1000 Palestinians, and the demolition of their homes. The UK is clear that in all but the most exceptional of circumstances, demolitions and evictions are contrary to International Humanitarian Law. Our opposition to the demolition of Palestinian property and the evictions of Palestinians from their homes is long-standing. The practice causes unnecessary suffering to Palestinians and is harmful to efforts to promote peace. Minister Milling met with Palestinian families affected by the ongoing demolition and eviction orders at Masafer Yatta during her visit to the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and raised our concerns on the impact with Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Roll on 22 June.

Moreblessing Ali

Lord Oates: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Zimbabwe regarding (1) the abduction and murder of opposition political activist Moreblessing Ali, and (2) the steps being taken by the Zimbabwe authorities to investigate this.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The Minister for Africa and I [Lord Goldsmith] were appalled to hear of the murder of Moreblessing Ali. The British Ambassador in Zimbabwe publicly expressed her sadness at this tragic news and passed on our condolences to Moreblessing's family and friends. It is important that the Zimbabwe police continue to investigate her murder to establish the facts, and those behind this terrible crime are brought to justice. The Minister for Africa recently wrote to Foreign Minister Shava to reiterate the importance of demonstrable progress on the human rights and political reforms that the President of Zimbabwe committed to in his inauguration speech in November 2017.

Nigeria: Religious Freedom

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the safety of, and freedom of religion for, Christians in Nigeria

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Nigeria's Constitution guarantees freedom of religion or belief. The security situation in Nigeria, and its impact on Christians and other religious or belief minorities is complex.In the North East, terrorist groups such as Islamic State West Africa (ISWA) and Boko Haram have caused immense suffering to both Christian and Muslim communities. These groups seek to undermine the right to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) by indiscriminately attacking those of all faiths or beliefs who do not subscribe to their extremist views.Elsewhere in Nigeria, intercommunal violence has had a devastating impact on both Christian and Muslim communities. Our assessment is that religious identity can be a factor in incidents of intercommunal violence, but the underlying drivers are more complex. These include competition over land and natural resources, which has been exacerbated by climate change, historical grievances, and criminality.We will continue to make clear to the Nigerian authorities at the highest levels the importance of protecting civilians, including religious or belief minorities, and human rights for all Nigerians.

Venezuela: Migration and Human Trafficking

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of thecall by church leaders in Venezuela and Colombia on 24 May for renewed dialogue onmigration and human trafficking.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK supports efforts to ensure global migration is safe, orderly and regular, in line with the UN's Global Compact for Migration and the Sustainable Development Goals. Since 2019, the UK Government has spent £37 million in humanitarian aid in response to the Venezuelan crisis. This is on top of our existing multilateral contributions to the UN-managed Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and Global Fund, our core contributions to the UN and to the Red Cross movement. We were also the second largest donor to the Global Concessional Financing Facility for Colombia in 2019, providing £8 million as part of our overall response to help unlock concessional loans to support Colombia in continuing to host more than 1.5 million Venezuelans.Diplomatic relations between Colombia and Venezuela are a matter for the two countries. We will continue to work through diplomatic channels to help the Venezuelans restore democracy and address the root causes of the crises they are facing.

Home Office

Grenfell Tower: Fires

Lord Sikka: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether criminal charges relating to the Grenfell disaster have been brought; and if so, what were the outcomes of those cases.

Lord Greenhalgh: The ongoing police investigation into the Grenfell Tower fire and any criminal charges relating to the disaster are a matter for the Metropolitan Police Service and the Crown Prosecution Service.The Metropolitan Police Service has announced that it will wait until the Inquiry has published its final report before deciding what evidence to submit to the Crown Prosecution Service, as they will take into account the evidence from the Inquiry.

Asylum: Rwanda

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatis the (1) total cost, and (2) cost per person, of deportation flights to Rwanda.

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whichministers, if any, will accompany deportees on deportation flights to Rwanda.

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how manycivil servants, including (1) medical, and (2) security, staff, will accompany deportees on deportation fights to Rwanda.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: We do not routinely disclose commercial or operational information relating to individual charter flights, but I can assure my Noble Colleague that the appropriate and relevant number of Home Office staff and contractors will be present on the aircraft in order to protect the safety, wellbeing and security of those people being relocated.

Isa Muazu

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will reconsider the status of Isa Muazu, who was deported from the UK to Nigeria in 2013.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: I am unable to comment on individual cases on the grounds of data protection principles and the operational independence of the police and courts.The UK only ever returns those who both the Home Office and the courts are satisfied do not need our protection and have no legal basis to remain in the UK. We do not routinely reconsider the cases of those who have been lawfully removed.

Horticulture: Seasonal Workers

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, toallow asylum seekers to be deployed to pick fruit and vegetables in the UK while their applications are being assessed; and if not, why not.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Government has no plans to do this.We recently conducted a review of the policy in this area and have already published its outcome.

Visas

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce delays in renewing visas for people already working and resident in Britain; and when they expect to give a decision on the case with the Home Office identification number 28287399.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The ECAA team has made several changes to its operating process, meaning applications are being considered at a much higher number week on week. This has seen the work held reduce significantly.We do not comment publicly on individual cases.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Grenfell Tower: Fires

Lord Sikka: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to meet survivors and bereaved relatives of the Grenfell disaster to discuss the Government’s handling of that tragedy.

Lord Greenhalgh: Since taking post, the Levelling Up Secretary and Minister for Rough Sleeping and Housing have been regularly meeting with bereaved families, survivors and local residents to discuss the issues which matter to the community. This includes four open community meetings as well as individual meetings with community groups.

Northern Ireland Office

Northern Ireland Government

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the financial implications for Northern Ireland of the failure to form an Executive following the elections on 5 May: and whether they plan to introduce an emergency budget for Northern Ireland.

Lord Caine: The ongoing political situation in Northern Ireland is very disappointing. There is around £437m of additional funding, on top of the Block Grant, that the Government has made available but which has not been allocated to services as a result of the absence of an Executive. The setting of a budget is a matter for the Northern Ireland Executive - that is why our priority is for the Northern Ireland Parties to restore fully functioning devolved institutions as soon as possible.

Treasury

Bureaux de Change

Lord Birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatplans they have to require currency exchange services for consumers to display both (1) the live interbank exchange rate, and (2) the commission charged, following the UK’s departure from the EU.

Baroness Penn: Where currency conversion is provided as part of a payment transaction, the Payment Services Regulations 2017 make requirements on UK payment service providers regarding disclosure of fees and charges to the payer, for example, the exchange rate used for a currency conversion transaction. Provisions under the Cross Border Payments Regulation, which continue to apply in the UK as part of retained EU law, also contribute to price transparency, with further requirements regarding how foreign exchange costs are communicated before a payment is made. The Government has no plans at this time to amend the requirements on firms, but keeps all policy under review. The Government recognises the importance of transparency of fees and charges in ensuring effective competition between payment service providers. These regulations, amongst other things, are intended to enable consumers to make informed decisions when making use of payment services including where currency conversion is offered as part of a payment transaction.

Charities: Tax Allowances

Lord Vinson: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much tax is forgone annually by HM Treasury as a result of the tax exemptions for charities’ (1) donations, (2) investment income, and (3) gains on capital investments.

Baroness Penn: Tax relief is available on donations to charity by individuals and organisations, and to charities for their activities, including investment income.Estimates for tax reliefs on charitable donations by individuals are published in “UK charity tax relief statistics”. The table below is an extract from the latest edition, showing these estimates for the previous 5 tax years. Extract from Table 1 and 2: Estimates for UK charities tax reliefs. Updated November 2021Restricted to those reliefs for which accurate figures can be estimated £mReliefs paid to charitiesReliefs paid to individualsTax YearGift AidGift Aid Small Donations SchemeInterest, royalties, trust donations etcInheritance TaxPayroll GivingGifts of shares and propertyHigher Rate Relief on Gift Aid2016-171,270301066040604102017-181,260301070040604802018-191,350401080040705002019-201,400401084040704902020-211,38030108604070490Information about tax relief on charities’ investment income, and on charitable donations by organisations is not readily available.

Truphone

Baroness Pidding: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to monitor the sale of Truphone to ensure that it does not undermine (1) the UK's sanctions relating to Russia, or (2) the UK's national security.

Baroness Penn: Truphone Limited are not currently subject to financial sanctions. Financial sanctions restrictions apply to any entity that is itself designated, or is owned or controlled directly or indirectly by a designated person. This includes where that person holds (directly or indirectly) more than 50% of the shares or voting rights in an entity, has the right (directly or indirectly) to appoint or remove a majority of the board of directors of the entity, or it is reasonable to expect that the person would be able to ensure the affairs of the entity are conducted in accordance with the person’s wishes. If any sanctioned individuals are due to receive funds as a result of the sale of a company which is not subject to financial sanctions restrictions, any funds they receive from a UK company or into a UK bank account will need to be frozen. A licence from the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) in HM Treasury would then be needed for any onward movement of such funds, otherwise breaches of financial sanctions restrictions may occur. Any suspected breach of financial sanctions should be reported to OFSI. OFSI is the competent authority for implementing and enforcing the UK’s financial sanctions. The maintenance of national security is a cross-departmental effort and any activity to monitor and intervene in matters of national security may be undertaken by departments other than HMT.

Duke of Sussex: Charter Flights

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they funded the return charter flight for the Duke of Sussex from the United States to the UK for the Queen's Jubilee celebrations.

Baroness Penn: No public money was used for the charter flight for the Duke of Sussex from the United States to the UK. The Government provides financial support to the Queen known as the Sovereign Grant, to fund The Queen's official duties and maintain the Occupied Royal Palaces. Funding from the Sovereign Grant only covers expenses incurred by other Members of the Royal Family when they undertake official duties on behalf of Her Majesty.